By Yoon Ja-young
Kkokkomyeon, chicken-flavored ramen, was selected as the year’s top trendsetter. Samsung Economic Research Institute (SERI) announced its top 10 hit products, people and events of 2011, based on a survey of its 7,725 website subscribers and experts. Steve Jobs, the late former Apple CEO who opened up the smart era and Kakao Talk, a mobile messenger service, also made the list.
Launched by Korea Yakult, Kkokkomyeon, has changed the landscape of the ramen market here. Based on a recipe by popular comedian Lee Kyung-kyu, the instant noodles featuring a white, chicken soup shook the market that had been previously obsessed with spicy red broths. It has sold over 70 million packets since its launch in August and Yakult is planning to expand its production line as the ramen is selling out at retail outlets. “Consumers were excited by novelties that break the old convention,” the institute said.
Jobs was chosen as a symbol of creativeness and innovation. His turtleneck has become a trendy look, according to the report. “People came to think seriously about their present and future when they looked at Jobs, who was more passionate than anyone else even when expecting death.”
Popular MBC TV program “Survival: I Am a Singer,” was also among the top 10 influential items. The TV program, where veteran singers competed with rearranged old songs, received an extremely favorable reaction
The survey also named the Galaxy S2, a premium smartphone by Samsung Electronics, K-pop, which led the wave of Korean culture abroad following the surge in popularity of Korean television dramas and the successful bid to host the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, Gangwon Province. “The products representing Korea gave people trust and pride,” the institute said, adding that winning the right to host the Olympics presented people here with a sense of achievement and emotional excitement.
The think tank noted that consumers were especially attracted by products that relieved them of economic burden or contributed to stabilizing their life in the future. “Kakao Talk, a free mobile messenger service for smartphone users and the Pension Lottery 520 caught the eyes of consumers, concerned over stable income after retirement, and half-priced privately-branded products sold at retail outlets became popular,” it explained in the report. Unlike conventional lotteries that offer winners a huge lump sum, the pension lottery offers the winner 5 million won each month for 20 years.
The movie “Dogani,” or “The Crucible,” based on the rape and abuse of students at a school for people with hearing disabilities was also picked. Based on a true story, the film shocked society and strengthened demand to deal with such breaches of justice.
“Inflation and low growth, tension and anxiety, and the increasing influence of cyber opinions affected consumers in 2011,” the report said.